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"First off, my prayers out to this lady and her family.    \nI agree with some of the things on here. Being out in back country is nice, but don't do it alone if you are new to the game or don't have much mechanical experience (I can't tell someone they should give up off-roading because they can't overhaul an engine or adjust their muffler bearings  but they should definitely be prepared with the essentials, and know how to change a tire). Knowing some basics about how your rig operates is important though.   \nI have been broken down myself or with others, and have never had to call 911. I understand that the situation warrants the call or not. There was something on Dateline the other night where a couple went snow wheeling on a road to a lake in Cali that they had been to several times and were familiar with, they got their XJ stuck and a 3 or 4 day blizzard moved in. It was a pretty bad deal.   \nYou should always let someone know where you are going, and if you end up going somewhere else, notify someone of your change of plans. This is important if you are in a small group, but especially if you are alone.   \nI have been a professional wrecker driver since '95. A rollback doesn't have off-road, much less off pavement capabilities. However quite a few wrecker company's do have some type of 4x4 sling/boom/wheellift truck. These are still pretty limited to rough trails. By that I mean trails that most of our rigs could do in 4-hi. There are some companies with purpose built off-road recovery trucks, but those wont be covered by AAA or your insurance towing provider.    \nI cringe when I see these people with snatch ropes trying to yank people out of mud or off a large rock. Especially those who back up and get a running start using chains. Not only is can that do serious damage to both vehicles and is extremely dangerous, it can also be very lethal.   \nMost tow trucks now have GPS systems in them and can find people relatively easily. But people have to know where they are, and if they are not sure, they must give accurate directions to where how they got there. Tow truck drivers do not automatically know exactly where the customers is, where their address is, etc. The other thing that a lot of people don't take into consideration is, just because you can drive there in your car or jeep or pickup truck, doesn't mean that a tow truck can make it to that place. Tow trucks are taller, wider, and a lot heavier and there are lots of restrictions, especially in residential areas. People need to understand that about tow trucks and the drivers before they start bashing on them. Unfortunately, there ARE a bunch of SCUMBAG tow truck drivers and companies out there. But for the most part, they are just trying to make an honest living, and they are coming out in every type of weather, at every time of the day or night, to help you. And they are not just sitting at the office waiting for your call. They are usually running calls, a lot of times 10-12 hours a day, depending on the city or town they are in.   \nThis lady and her guy were just doing what most of us would do, trying to get their rig running. It was an accident. It could have happened to anyone. Yesterday a lady drover her pickup down a 75ft embankment in Tucson. We don't know what caused it. It was an accident. Fortunately she was not hurt. Sometimes you need to call 911, sometimes you don't.   \nBottom line is, we are doing a sport/hobby that we should know the basics about our rigs and how they operate, as I said earlier. That doesn't mean that we need to be an ASE Master Tech. But changing tires, proper winching/strapping operations, proper safety equipment, and most important, first aid kit, spare water/food and an emergency shelter/blanket should be part of our trips.   \nIn a football game, if a player gets knocked down and sprains an ankle, they don't call 911. They take care of it. If a player gets seriously hurt, they do call 911 or have an ambulance on standby.    \nThis lady got seriously hurt and needed help. If they had called 911 before that for not being able to get their rig started they could have faced problems or been lectured about calling 911 for a 'non-emergency'.   \nCommon sense: Looks like the reporters and the law enforcement in this case need to more clearly define their statements instead of just a general remark.   \nCommon sense: we have to do our part as well.   \n   \nI am one former tow truck driver who took his truck off-road many, many times, to the point where I would winch someone out, then winch myself out. I don't leave someone stranded. But I know how to get my truck out. We don't try to put our trucks at risk, and we know what we can and can't get out of.   \nBut yes, I do like to go off-road    \nAnd as for calling AAA...... well you get what you pay for... "
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